A few Polkie Essential albums from any genre.

RandyWilliamson
RandyWilliamson Posts: 178
edited November 2014 in Music & Movies
Do tell your favorites that have shined through your polkies throughout the years based on it being a good recording, good album, and overall what you felt had Hi fi impression and matched excellent with your Polks. Beauty is in the ear of the listener post your best sounding albums.

Charles Mingus- Mingus Mingus Mingus
Andreas Vollenweider- Both Dancing with Lion and Down to the moon.
U2- best of 1980-1990
The Police-Synchronicity (i would've liked "The Singles" but feel the recording is garbage)
The Cranberries-Faithfully departed
Chris Botti - When I fall in Love
Groove Armada- The Best of
Dave Brubeck- Greatest hits
John Coltrane- Blue train
Blue Notes- Perfect Takes
AudioSlave - Audioslave
Peter Gabriel- So
Red Hot Rio (prepare yourself for maracatu atomico)
The Flash Gordon Soundtrack (Queen)
The Tron Legacy Soundtrack

These are not my favorite albums but they do sound incredible. Well a few might be. :wink:
I recommend these for your listening pleasure and Polk rearside kickin delight.
Cool stuff: Adcom GFA-555, GFP-710, Oppo BDP-83, Monitor 10's w/RDO198s, rebuilt and modded XO: Sonicap/Mundorf topside, Daytons Low.
Benq W5000

"Leaning back like a maxwell tape commercial listening to pure polk bliss"
Post edited by RandyWilliamson on
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Comments

  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    Just Vinyl Format, or others such as CD, or SACD?
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • RandyWilliamson
    RandyWilliamson Posts: 178
    Anything that's an album bud hopefully it can be found cross formats.
    Cool stuff: Adcom GFA-555, GFP-710, Oppo BDP-83, Monitor 10's w/RDO198s, rebuilt and modded XO: Sonicap/Mundorf topside, Daytons Low.
    Benq W5000

    "Leaning back like a maxwell tape commercial listening to pure polk bliss"
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    edited November 2014
    The first record (LP -- we're talkin' 1977!) I heard used to demo Polk Audio Monitor 7 and 10 speakers was the eponymous album The David Grisman Quintet. It was and is the perfect demo for those fine old loudspeakers.

    A few other fine sounding, go-to albums for my evaluation of loudspeakers (Polk and otherwise):

    Grateful Dead American Beauty (original MoFi half-speed mastered by Stan Riker)
    Beatles Abbey Road
    Wailin Jennys Forty Days
    Patty Larkin a gogo
    Bruce Cockburn Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws
    Jennifer Warnes The Hunter
    Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out
    Sonny Clark Cool Struttin'
    The Wayfaring Strangers Shifting Sands of Time
    Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker (which is superb on Altec Duplexes... but that's another story entirely)
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  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,653
    Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
    Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
    The Highwaymen - Highwayman
    Steve Robinson & The Foundation - Hello from the Up Down Room
    Usher Audio - Demo CD
    Diana Krall - Live in Paris

    There are more but those ones always go to demos with me or to my buddy's shop when I want to listen to gear incredibly far out of my price range.
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
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  • Easy Runnin
    Easy Runnin Posts: 501
    Traffic - Lowe spark of high heel boys
    Bob james - All around town
    Counting Crows - August and everthing after
    Donald Fagan - Night fly
    Yes - Close to the edge
    Van Morrison - Moondance
    Pink Floyd - The wall
    HT- Samsung PN50B860/Integra DTR 30.3/Rt55 Fronts
    Rt35i Surrounds/Cs1000p Center/SVS BP1000 Sub
    2CH - B&K MC-101 pre/B&K EX-442 amp/NAD 2400 amp
    Polk SDA1C, Polk Monitor 7, New Large Advents and Polk RTA 8T
    BR - Yamaha CR800/Polk monitor 5
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out 45rpm must have :)
    Dire Straits * Dire Straits
    Steely Dan * any one will do, just pick one B)
    Billy Idol's * Story tellers live * Must own!
    Def Leppard * Mirror Ball * my new favorite live LP
    Cat Stevens * Tea for the Tillerman * new vinyl by GRP
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    Awesome lists guys, nice to see some have some Steely Dan. Any Abba fans out there that can recommend an album or cd?
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  • whgarrett1394
    whgarrett1394 Posts: 217
    edited November 2014
    Radiohead - OK Computer, In Rainbows
    Counting Crows - August and Everything After
    Arcade Fire - Neon Bible, The Suburbs
    Pearl Jam - Vitalogy, Yield
    Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magic
    Tool - Aenima, Lateralus
    KEF Q50 mains, M&K center, Boston Acoustics surround, Marantz SR6007 pre, Emotiva UPA-700, Pioneer DV-46AV, Samsung BD-j7500, Sunfire HRS12 subwoofer
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    ^^^^^^
    that is a nice list there brother :)
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • gce
    gce Posts: 2,158
    Great thread guys. I just ordered "Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out 45rpm" (thanks voltz) and "Diana Krall Live In Paris 45rpm" (thanks ZITFUL). I'll make a list of my essentials soon.
    Anaheim Hills CA,
    HT 5.1: Anthem MRX 720 / BDP-Denon DBT1713UD / Polkaudio LSiM703 / W4S mAmp's / Polkaudio LSiM706c / Polkaudio LSiM702F/X's / SVS PC12-NSD / Panasonic TC P55VT30

    2 Channel: Rogue RP-5 / WireWorld Electra power cord / Marantz TT-15S1/ Ortofon - Quintet Black MC / Marantz NA8005 DAC / W4S mAmp's / Synology DS 216+ll-4TB / Polkaudio LSiM703
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  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    If you haven't heard Ben Harper...Fight For Your Mind on SDA's yet....you should.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    Polkie2009 wrote: »
    Awesome lists guys, nice to see some have some Steely Dan. Any Abba fans out there that can recommend an album or cd?
    Unfortunately, all of the ABBA recordings we have sound pretty bad. I cannot say I've listened carefully to them all, but my sense is they are thin,shrill, and compressed. And no, that's not just because it's ABBA! :- P
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    Thanks for the info mhardy! That's really unfortunate that Abba's recordings were recorded so badly. Abba actually was a very talented band, excellent harmonies,musicianship, plus they were great to watch.
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  • RandyWilliamson
    RandyWilliamson Posts: 178
    edited November 2014
    Awesome lists so far....you guys made me bust out my Dire straits -brothers in arms also belongs here..money for nothing really just renders incredible via polkies. I have sultans also....ill have to find the self titled album i have never heard it. I also got a chance to here the listed Billy idol Live acoustics album definitely cool and different played really niiice.
    Friend has the radioheads tomorrow...and tool was of course top shelf also! im trying to see if i have brubeck time out!
    Cool stuff: Adcom GFA-555, GFP-710, Oppo BDP-83, Monitor 10's w/RDO198s, rebuilt and modded XO: Sonicap/Mundorf topside, Daytons Low.
    Benq W5000

    "Leaning back like a maxwell tape commercial listening to pure polk bliss"
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  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    Checkout

    Spyro Gyra - The Deep End (SACD)
    Weather Report-Heavy Weather (CD)
    Donald Fagen- Sunken Condos (180g Vinyl)

    incredible recordings all
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    I think I forgot four of my all-time speaker test favorites:

    Patty Larkin: a gogo, Perishable Fruit, Angels Running, Regrooving the Dream

    If you need to pick just one; pick up a gogo (live, solo, acoustic). Just superb in every respect.
    I believe girls can play guitar...

    a li'l taste of Ms Larkin, if you're unfamiliar...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUErnnQoOc
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    ^^^^^^
    Holy cow, thanks going to look that up. I love acoustic guitar playing like that :)
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    see her live if and when you get the chance; she's terrific.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    This is great.
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    I think I forgot four of my all-time speaker test favorites:

    Patty Larkin: a gogo, Perishable Fruit, Angels Running, Regrooving the Dream

    If you need to pick just one; pick up a gogo (live, solo, acoustic). Just superb in every respect.
    I believe girls can play guitar...

    a li'l taste of Ms Larkin, if you're unfamiliar...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUErnnQoOc

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  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    Fleetwood Mac: Rumors Re-mastered 2 CD Set
    Enya: Only Time 4 CD disc Set
    Don Henley: Actual Miles Traveled CD
    Gladiator: Sountrack CD
    Nickelback: Silver Side Up CD
    REM: Automatic for the People CD
    Boston: Discography DVD-A
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    edited November 2014
    mo' Patty...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABilP6yzrZQ

    EDIT:
    This aformentioned fellow can play gee-tar, too -- and his albums are (mostly) excellent and sound very, very good... fine Polk fodder.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY__agG_eXc

    Mrs. H & I saw him live last Saturday night in Somerville (MA); he's still very good.
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    LOL I just played this 5 minutes ago with those other :)
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    sorry :- P those are two of the better video quality Patty Larkin videos on YT...

    There are a couple-three videos on YT from the Bruce Cockburn show we saw last Saturday... but they're not great quality audio or video.
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  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,653
    Richard Thompson - Rumor & Sigh
    (Since we went all acoustic guitar hehe)
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    ... just 'cuz acoustic stringed instruments and (vintage at least) Polk Audio loudspeakers are a wonderful match...
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